1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to social network systems and more particularly to using business intelligence information to build a social network through the creation and collection of virtual data visualization cards.
2. Related Art
More and more consumers are purchasing items and services over electronic networks such as, for example, the Internet. Consumers routinely purchase products and services from merchants and individuals alike. The transactions may take place directly between a conventional or on-line merchant or retailer and the consumer, and payment is typically made by entering user information such as user financial information (e.g., credit card information.) Transactions may also take place with the aid of an on-line or mobile payment service provider such as, for example, PayPal, Inc. of San Jose, Calif. Such payment service providers can make transactions easier and safer for the parties involved. Purchasing with the assistance of a payment service provider from the convenience of virtually anywhere using a mobile device is one main reason why on-line and mobile purchases are growing very quickly.
Payment service providers are just one example of many businesses that generate business intelligence information, which may be viewed, in one way, as information generated from the operations of a business that may be analyzed to determine how that business is performing. Conventional business intelligence systems such as, for example, those provided by Microstrategy, Essbase, and a variety of other business intelligence system providers known in the art, collect business intelligence data generated by businesses and allow those businesses to use that data to analyze business performance.
However, while such conventional business intelligence systems allow a user to analyze specific business intelligence data, they provide no systems to distribute the vast amount of business intelligence information contained in the system. Without such a system, much of the business intelligence information included in conventional business intelligence systems may never be utilized by many of the users of the business intelligence system.
Thus, there is a need for an improved business intelligence information distribution system.